Arizona State University and HP Labs revealed the invention of the first completely flexible plastic display. This has been created by using a process called Self-Aligned Imprint Lithography (SAIL) that let HP “build a thin film transistor screen that can be rolled up without snapping or otherwise easily breaking“. The display also uses Vizplex’s E-Ink technology, currently found in eBook Readers, to increase the readability.
This new technology will be less expensive when produced in mass scale and is also much more environment friendly than conventional LCDs. HP also promises more energy efficiency and extra battery life for laptops and smartphones using this plastic TFT displays.
Intel reported that it is currently pursuing research to generate electrical energy from sources like sunlight and body heat. The company believes that the energy reserved would be enough to power a mobile phone without requiring it to recharge ever again !
Already there are eco-friendly watches that do run from body heat and even more interesting there are cell phones which have displays that doubles as solar cells. So this may not be as impossible as you may think. Intel thinks the energy can even be generated even from the mobile phone’s trackball/joystick. The idea is to create energy from any other existing forms of energy sources around.
Justin Rattner, chief technology officer at Intel says, “Wouldn’t it be nice if, in fact, you were able to go almost indefinitely without charging the battery, if you were able to scavenge enough free energy from the environment?“. Hell…Yes !
Netherlands based architects MVRDV has come up with this great design of an incredible new city called Gwanggyo Power Center, located south of Seoul, South Korea. Several organic hill structures combine to form this magnificent city which will be completely self-sufficient and would support 77,000 residents.
The city includes everything (almost) …housing, offices, shops and educational facilities. There is even an internal irrigation system which stores extra water from the buildings and uses it to sustain these green facades. As MVRDV states, “This diverse program has different needs for phasing, positioning and size. To facilitate this all elements are designed as rings. By pushing these rings outwards, every part of the program receives a terrace for outdoor life.” Construction will begin sometime after 2011.
The Hindenburg disaster took place in May 6, 1937, after which people completely lost their confidence on airships. But what you see here is yet another attempt of a helium-based airship,albeit based on a much modern technology. The airship called Bullet 580, measures 235ft in length and 65ft in diameter. It can easily lift 2,000lbs and take it up to 20,000ft in the air. With its sheer size and mass, the Bullet 580 is also the world’s largest inflatable craft.
Developed by E-Green Technologies, the airship can take you ‘places’ for sightseeing and provide you with some breath taking experience. Overall manufacturing cost for the airship stands at $8.125 million and it was inflated at the Garret Coliseum in Montgomery, Alabama.
Different battery sizes have always been a concern. Although AA batteries are relatively popular, you never know what your next gadget will need. It may require a AAA, C or even a D. No wonder every one on Earth probably wishes if only we had a battery that will fit everywhere…something that will convert itself into AA or AAA or C or D, whenever we need. Well…here’s a cool concept from designers Pyeong Joo Goh, Jong Seung Choi and Ji Soo Hong, that seems to resolve the problem.
The battery will be made from MemoryForm, so it can be squeezed into any of the required shape & size and fit into the product. It is appropriately named, AtoD, to show the fact that it can work as any of the four types i.e. AA, AAA, C or D. Inside, it will be powered by 1.5 Volts of Nickel Hydroxide, so recharging will never be an issue either.
